Keystone Species - Scottish Beaver Trial · Keystone Species Beavers affect the survival of other...

Keystone Species In this section you will find a teacher’s introduction to the idea of a ’Keystone Species’ and activities to help your students to understand this important aspect of beavers. Keystone Species Teacher Introduction Keystone Species Worksheet Keystone Species Worksheet Solution Keystone Species Matching Cards Keystone Species Matching Cards Solution

www.scottishbeavers.org.ukwww.scottishbeavers.org.ukwww.scottishbeavers.org.ukwww.scottishbeavers.org.uk

Keystone Species Beavers affect the survival of other wildlife by changing habitats

and creating new ones. By damming rivers beavers create ponds and

wetlands that attract lots of other wildlife such as frogs, otters, fish

and invertebrates. This makes them a very important part of any

ecosystem a role which is called a ‘keystone species’-

‘If you imagine an archway built of stone, at the highest point of

the arch you will find one stone called a keystone: if you remove this

stone the arch falls down.’ By changing its environment the beaver

does the same job as this keystone and in the same way if the beaver

is removed the environment changes and the wildlife will leave.

From research carried out in many countries the positive influence

of beavers has been recorded and just some of the benefits have been

used in this session. It is important that we monitor the affects the

Trial beavers are having as this can be used in the final analysis of the

Scottish Beaver Trial.

Suggested session:

• The Scottish Beaver Trial introduction presentation and film can be

shown to the groups to give them an understanding of the project,

where it is and what a beaver is.

• The students are given the keystone species cards and are

introduced to what a keystone species is. They are then given time

to match the species to how the beaver helps it.

• Go through the answers explaining in more detail, if needed, how

the beaver affects the lives of the wildlife. There is a worksheet

which can be used as a review at the end of the topic.

Additional activities:

• Students can think of other animals that may be helped by the

beaver. They can be written down or the students can design a

poster including these animals.

• Students can research how the beavers help plants and if this is

actually happening in Knapdale. This can lead into discussions on

food chains and webs.

• This can link to the ‘Beaver Habitat’ activity.

• This can link to the ‘Trial Science’ activity looking at suitable places

for the reintroduction.

Resources:

• Keystone species cards

• Introduction presentation and film

• Keystone species worksheet


Keystone Species

dragonfly

fish

frog

bat

duck

Water vole

otter

deer

By increasing the habitat of insects the beaver increases

the number of my food.

Beavers create ponds perfect for me to live by and for my

young to grow in.

Beaver ponds provide a home to my prey (fish) and I can use their old lodges as a home.

By creating stable areas of wetland the beaver increases

my breeding habitat.

More water means more invertebrates. This means

more food for me.

Beaver ponds provide me food, shelter and a perfect place for my tadpoles.

Beaver ponds provide me with drinking water and lots of

plants to eat.

By creating wetlands the beavers increase the amount of plants and habitats for

me.

Beavers affect the survival of other wildlife by changing the

habitats and creating new ones.

Draw a line to connect the animal to the way the beaver helps it.


Pine marten

By creating new homes for small mammals and frogs,

the beavers increase my prey.

Keystone Species

dragonfly

fish

frog

bat

Pine marten

duck

Water vole

otter

deer

By increasing the habitat of insects the beaver increases

the number of my food.

Beavers create ponds perfect for me to live by and for my

young to grow in.

Beaver ponds provide a home to my prey (fish) and I can use their old lodges as a home.

By creating stable areas of wetland the beaver increases

my breeding habitat.

More water means more invertebrates. This means

more food for me.

Beaver ponds provide me food, shelter and a perfect place for my tadpoles.

Beaver ponds provide me with drinking water and lots of

plants to eat.

By creating new homes for small mammals and frogs,

the beavers increase my prey.

By creating wetlands the beavers increase the amount of plants and habitats for

me.

Beavers affect the survival of other wildlife by changing the

habitats and creating new ones.

Draw a line to connect the animal to the way the beaver helps it.


By increasing the habitat of insects the beavers increase

their number meaning more food for me.

By building dams beavers create ponds perfect for me to live next to and for my babies to grow in.

Beaver ponds provide a great home for my prey (fish) and I can use the beavers old lodges as my home.

By building dams beavers create

wetlands which means more plants can grow and my habitat gets

bigger.

By creating more stable areas of

wetland the beavers increase my breeding

habitat.

Beaver ponds provide me with drinking

water and make plac-es for lots of plants to grow which I can then

eat.

More areas of water means more places for invertebrates to live. This means more

food for me.

Beaver ponds provide me with food, shelter and a perfect place for my tadpoles to grow

up.

By creating new homes for small

mammals and frogs, the beavers increase the numbers of my

prey.

Beavers are new and give me something to look for when I am out

and about in the countryside .

By eating some of me the beavers make sure I have new

growth, this means I have a longer life.

Beaver ponds provide more homes for my food so more for me. The healthy trees give me a place to nest.

Keystone Species - Card Matches


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